It's officially the Fourth of July and the operating hours for mail and packages, like many businesses across the U.S., will be affected by Independence Day closures.
Most Americans are given the day off of work to celebrate the nation's birthday, and that includes many postal workers, which means you probably won't get your packages out as quickly as usual.
For those hoping to get their mailing errands checked off their list this Tuesday, here's what you need to know and where you should go:
Is the Post Office Closed Today?
As a government agency, the United States Postal Service (USPS) benefits follow the federal holiday schedule, so it will be closed in observance of the Fourth of July.
This means there will be no mail pickups or deliveries and any mail that is dropped off in a drop box won't be processed until the following business day, Wednesday, July 5th. There won't be any employees available for counter service either, but you could still use postage kiosks and other drop-off mailboxes, as long as you're okay with your package being handled the next day, instead of Tuesday.
Although there won't be any USPS mail on the Fourth of July, there are some other options available for urgent packages.
FedEx on July 4th
Most of FedEx's services, including Ground and Express, are closed on Independence Day, but FedEx Custom Critical and FedEx Office will remain open. FedEx Office, however, will be operating on modified hours, so make sure to check with your local store in advance to avoid showing up to a closed storefront.
Certain FedEx services were running on modified hours or services in the days leading up to the Fourth of July, but all of its operations will return to regular scheduling on Wednesday.
UPS on July 4th
There will be no UPS pickup or delivery service on the Fourth of July and all store locations will be closed for the day. But UPS Express Critical service will still be available either through its website or via phone at 1-800-714-8779. The service can also be arranged by email at expresscritical@ups-scs.com. More details on which features and benefits are available through UPS Express Critical can be found here.
Although the urgent service provides international shipping, the company's operational adjustments will remain intact, meaning that all international shipping services to and from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus will continue to be temporarily suspended.
Can I Use DHL?
No, DHL will be closed for business on July Fourth.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Katherine Fung is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and world politics. ... Read more
